Danny Chia to lead the charge of the Malaysians at the Iskandar Johor Open 2010
Johor Bahru, September 28, 2010 - Based on the list of eligible players after the cutoff date late last week, at least 22 local professionals are qualified to be in the illustrious field of the US$1.25 million (approximately RM4 million) Iskandar Johor Open 2010 at the 6,271-metre, par-72 Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club from October 14 to 17, 2010.
Shouldering the nation’s challenge at one of the biggest Asian Tour events will be the undisputed Malaysia’s Number One, Danny Chia, who qualified for the field having finished 29th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) last year. For the record, top 65 players from the Asian Tour OOM 2009 automatically qualified for the championship.
Danny, 38, made history by becoming the first Malaysian male professional to make the cut at a major championship when he completed the British Open at the Old Course of St. Andrews, Scotland in July on two-over-par 290, which put him ahead of the likes of Ryder Cup star Ian Poulter of England, European captain Colin Montgomerie of Scotland and former Masters champion Zach Johnson.
Buoyed by that performance, where he figuratively had one monkey lifted off his back, Danny will be looking at a better showing in the fourth edition of the Iskandar Johor Open.
“It’s always good to get the chance to play in front of a supportive home crowd like in the Iskandar Johor Open. My record there is quite okay, I’m excited about playing at Horizon Hills and I think I’m ready to compete,” said Danny whose best finish at IJO was a share of ninth placing in 2008. Last year he finished with tied 28th.
“The experience (playing in the British Open) is not only a confidence booster but it also made me a more mature player. I’ve also learnt to be realistic with my game and with my own expectation. I know the competition at Iskandar Johor Open will be tough but I think Malaysian players have the quality to put up a good fight,” he added.
Besides Danny, two other local players qualified based on their rankings on the Asian Tour OOM 2009. Iain Steel, whose tied fourth finish in 2008 is the record best for Malaysians at the Iskandar Johor Open, was ranked 53rd on the OOM and Shaaban Hussin who ended last season ranked 65th.
Other notable Malaysians in the field are 2008 Worldwide Selangor Masters champion, Ben Leong, 2007 Pakistan Open champion Airil Rizman Zahari, current Asian Development Tour and Professional Golfers Association of Malaysia’s Order of Merits leader, S. Sivachandran and M. Sasidaran.
Ten slots are provided to the top ten local players on the PGAM Order of Merit who are otherwise not exempted. In addition, the top five players from the recent Malaysian Qualifier also made it to the field.
"As the title sponsor IRDA is proud to play its role in supporting the development of professional golf in the country," said Encik Ismail Ibrahim, Chief Executive of the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA).
Local players can still try to qualify for the Iskandar Johor Open via the International Qualifier which will take place on October 4 at Horizon Hills. There are three slots on offer for the qualifying round which is open to regional, international as well as local professionals holding a valid Professional Card from recognised Golf Clubs and Professional Golf Associations.
The top three players who return with the lowest gross score will win the chance to play in the Iskandar Johor Open under the Qualifier Winners category. The entry fee is US$70 inclusive of caddie fees and entry form is available from the Asian Tour and www.iskandarjohoropen.com. The last day of registration is on September 30.
Meanwhile, to support the local professionals in their preparation for the Iskandar Johor Open, the management of Horizon Hills GCC has decided to waive the green fees for Malaysian professionals who qualify for the tournament to practice at the club from now until the course closes for the championship.
Local professionals will only have to pay RM60.75 for buggies and caddies on twin sharing basis. This offer is valid for weekdays only. On an ongoing basis, Horizon Hills offers a special weekday rate for any professionals, which is RM100 nett inclusive of buggies and caddies on twin sharing.
The prestigious Iskandar Johor Open will be held from October 14 to 17, 2010 at Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club. Defending champion K.J. Choi of Korea, two-time major winner South African Retief Goosen, three-time major champion Padraig Harrington and 2010 Europe’s Ryder Cup captain, Colin Montgomerie are the leading players already confirmed for the championship.
Sanctioned by the Asian Tour, the official regional sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia and the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia, the Iskandar Johor Open 2010 will be contested by 144 players consisting of the top 116 players on the Asian Tour ranking, the top 10 Malaysians on the PGAM Order of Merit, 10 sponsors invites, top five players from the Malaysian Qualifier and top three players from the International Qualifier.
The main sponsor of the Iskandar Johor Open is the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA). It is also supported by platinum sponsor - UEM Land Holdings Berhad, the master developer of Nusajaya which is a key driver of Iskandar Malaysia and hosted by the Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club. Other co-sponsors include 100 Plus, Auto Bavaria Johor Bahru, Heineken, Kuok Brothers Sdn. Bhd, Pulai Springs Resort, Ricoh, Srixon, TaylorMade-adidas Golf, Telekom Malaysia, Titoni and Winston Wine. The official media partners are Fairways, Golf Malaysia and ParGolf. The tournament is sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Johor Golf Association.
The Iskandar Johor Open
The inaugural edition of the Iskandar Johor Open kicked off in August 2007. Held at the Johor Country Club (RJCC) in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, it carried a prize purse of USD$300,000 and the honour of hoisting the trophy for the first time fell to Artemio Murakami of the Philippines. In October 2008, the championship offered an improved purse of USD$500,000 and South African Retief Goosen went on to clinch the coveted trophy at RJCC. 2009 marked a milestone in the history of the Iskandar Johor Open, with a 100% increase in prize money to USD$1,000,000, certainly pointing to the tournament’s growing stature. It was won by Korean K.J. Choi, who triumphed over rising Indian star Himmat Rai and defending champion Retief Goosen.
Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA)
Iskandar Malaysia is set to become Southern Peninsular Malaysia's most developed region, where living, entertainment, environment and business seamlessly converge within a bustling and vibrant metropolis. The Iskandar Regional Development Authority is the statutory body tasked with realizing the vision of developing Iskandar Malaysia.
IMG Sports & Entertainment
Operating in 30 countries, IMG Sports & Entertainment’s diverse businesses include: consulting services; event ownership and management; fashion events and models representation; licensing; golf course design; and client representation in golf, tennis, broadcasting, speakers, European football, rugby, cricket, motor sports, coaching, Olympic and action sports. IMG Academies are the world's largest, multi-sport training and educational facilities, delivering world-class training experiences to more than 12,000 junior, collegiate, adult, and professional athletes each year.
More information about IMG is available at www.imgworld.com.
The Asian Tour
As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include J.Lindeberg (Official Apparel Partner), Ricoh (Official Office Solutions Provider), Inetol Headwear (Official Headwear Supplier), Royal Selangor (Official Trophy Supplier) and Srixon (Official Ball). Sentosa, Singapore’s premier island resort getaway, is the Home of the Asian Tour.
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Balbeer Singh Jessy
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